Indiana football coaching buzz had us calling Hoosier Deep Throat for answers, but he wasn’t answering his phone. Athletic director Fred Glass wasn’t answering coaching questions.
Coincidence?
We think not.
Glass was at IU’s victory over Savannah State instead of hitting the road searching for a coach. Did that mean the search was over and an announcement was imminent? Rumors swirl that something could happen by early this week; that Glass’s efficiency was making a mockery of a long search.
Not that we’re pushing rumors.
ESPN reported that, as sure as Ronald Reagan is carved into Mount Rushmore, Glass met with Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. Except Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops denied it -- really, really emphatically.
Consider, for your perusal, that an Oklahoma coach was coming to IU. Are you kidding? Does that freeze your blood? Didn’t the Hoosiers try a Sooner once before with basketball-ruining consequences?
Wait. Wilson is no Kelvin Sampson. He keeps his phone calls under control. He is a highly regarded offensive coordinator of a powerhouse program that just won the Big 12 title game. He’s won awards as the nation’s top assistant coach. In 2008 his offense scored an NCAA record 716 points with Sam Bradford as the quarterback. He also was the offensive coordinator at Northwestern and Miami of Ohio. He might not be THE guy for Indiana, but he represents the kind of guy IU is likely to get -- talented, hungry and eager for a challenge.
The new coach will get all the challenges anyone could want at Indiana.
Glass mentioned that one of those challenges would not be a lack of in-state talent, and he’s right. Indiana high schools will never surpass Florida and Texas for superstar numbers, but the quality has improved. You can win if you get some of the top in-state players each year. The key is getting them, plus some strong players from the Midwest.
In fact, it might be a good idea to at least target Wisconsin for offensive linemen. That seems to work for the Badgers.
Anyway, ESPN.com also tossed out names we’ve heard before -- Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst and Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell. Treadwell produced the Big Ten’s most balanced offense with tailback Edwin Baker (No. 3 in the Big Ten with 1187 rushing yards) and quarterback Kirk Cousins (No. 4 in the Big Ten with 2,705 passing yards). Treadwell also was the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati and Ball State. Treadwell has been a finalist for MAC jobs. Chryst, who ran the offense that ran up 83 points on IU last month, was a contender for the Purdue job that Danny Hope got.
Wait. Now comes word that it wasn't Chryst, but Wisconsin defensive coordinator David Doeren who Glass supposedly visited after flying to Madison this past week. This is equal opportunity at its best because the one area Indiana has to improve upon if it wants to win is defense. Either the head coach has to be a defensive coaching stud, or the new defensive coordinator has to be. And then he has to recruit defensive studs. We can’t state that more strongly.
So where are we in this search? Still in limbo. The sooner IU names a coach, the sooner the new guy can start recruiting the players already committed, going after new players, and convincing the current Hoosiers that the program is in good hands.
Glass wants to be fast, but he also wants to be right. The last thing he and the program need is a coaching dud.
Oh, to be clear, Mount Rushmore does NOT include Ronald Reagan.
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Is Indiana ready for Kentucky? We’ll know that next Saturday when the 7-1 Hoosiers head to Lexington’s Rupp Arena. For now we know they were plenty ready for Savannah State. They won 79-57 with efficient offense and stifling defense.
They are 7-0 at home, 0-1 on the road. But that loss at Boston College should steel them for what they’ll face at Rupp Arena. Kentucky, it should be noted, is not the powerhouse it was last year. It lost at North Carolina, which has been a disappointment this season to follow last year’s disappointment. What this means is Kentucky is not the unbeatable foe. IU has a week to prepare. So we shall see.
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In case you missed it, Indiana’s volleyball team is making history. It’s in the NCAA tourney Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. The Hoosiers (23-11) won a pair of five-set matches to advance, including Saturday’s thriller over No. 19 Tennessee. They won the fifth set 15-13. They will travel to Dayton to play either USC or San Diego.
Regarding the Hoosiers, I have a major problem with Tom Crean as a coach, (not as a recruiter), and I cannot support him fully until he gives Derek Elston the minutes he deserves. For the first time, Crean started Elston over Pritchard in the 2nd half yesterday and it resulted in the Hoosiers extendig the game to its biggest lead-- the result?, he benched him the rest of the game. I cannot watch Tom Pritchard start over Elston-- Elston is the only Big 10/NBA body we have on the entire team, he brings great energy to the floor as well as the bench, his basketball instincts are certainly one of the best if not the best (he is the best rebounder, best at boxing out, sees the floor, never afraid to shoot and can finish around the basket-- none of these things can Pritchard do as well as Elston). Crean diminished Elston's confidence last year and he will do the same this year by not starting him and giving him less than 15 minutes a game (ELSTON IS GETTING LESS THAN 15 MINUTES A GAME, REALLY???). This is our best lineup-- Elston, Watford, Creek, Jones III, Hulls. Off the bench: Olidipo, Sheehy, Pritchard, Rivers in that order. NOTE TO CREAN: YOU WILL NOT FIND ONE HOOSIER FAN THAT UNDERSTANDS THE GAME OF BASKETBALL THAT WILL DISAGREE WITH ME. No one else should see any time on the floor during the Big 10 season. These are teenage kids (not pros), they do not have a demanding schedule and need significant minutes of rest-- The major programs play their best players the most minutes, they get more out of less than less out of more. Yes, Tom Crean can recruit, but his one achilles heal is that at times he cannot see the forrest through the trees. Respectfully, coach, you are not going to win on the road or in this division until you recognize who your most effective players are DURING THE GAME (not during practice), and play them-- I would reccomend watching replays of the games as they air on television because it is either us or you that is definitely missing something.
ReplyDeleteDo you really think you are a better judge of this team than Coach Crean? Are you there during practice? Are you in the huddle? Have you ever coached a meaningful game of basketball in your life? I'll bet you sit in the back seat of a car and criticize the driver, too.
ReplyDeleteAre you a relative of Elston? Dad? Brother? Uncle? What about a graduate of Tipton High School? You need to chill out. We're only 8 games into the season. We'll see what happens once the Big Ten season rolls around. Until then, get off your Elston kick. It makes you seem a little weird...like you're obsessed or something.
ReplyDeletewill somebody tell Derek Elson's mom to stop posting on this site?
ReplyDeleteYou are a tool. What D1 program are you coaching?
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments - I will say that in addition to some questionable personnel moves why did we abandon the zone against BC when we cut the lead to one point. All of a sudden back to man to man which I believe cost us a chance to win.
ReplyDeleteThe news about the ESPN report which say about the Ronald Reagan who is carved into Mount Rushmore,is quite good and also sort of useful to discern,pretty amazing work to tell.
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